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Besides turning your Mig welder down low, you can go to a smaller diameter wire. I use .023 for sheet metal. It melts faster, and you will have less burn through on thin metal. .032 is for frame work, and cross members, where you need higher heat and penetration..

Welp! Took 4 hours But One hole is done! Found a piece of aluminum and a big magnet to hold it down behind it, and cranked the heat way down!

Cant afford smaller wire and tips right now, spent a bunch on gas! Got use what I got, at this point, no extra money in the Hotrod budget! Gotta use my Brain to make it work!.... ouch... I’ve got a headache! The upper hole is gonna be fun!

Its ugly on the back side, but who cares, under coating will take care of that! I used 16g to make it stronger, and save the little bit of 19g I have for the body! Its a home built poor mans hotrod! Cant get more Traditional than that! My Pops did in alleys back in the day!
(I got a little Jealous when I read Pat Ganahals 33’ build...nice!)

Looks like you are going to enjoy the car and carry on it’s legacy well. A bit off topic but what’s the story on that artificial mustang in the background? You know, the one with plastic fenders, hood and trunk....lol

Now that Im getting some practice, the patches are looking alot better! Had to add another hole though! Keep finding hidden holes when I clean off the crud with the wire wheel. So a total of 5 on the upper wheel well. 2 to go then I can work on the lower section. Which should be easier!
Man! these small holes are tedious, and time consuming!
you have to weld a few tack welds, then hammer the metal evenly so there’s not a step in it, move on, tack, hammer and repeat. These little holes take forever!
I’ll be glad when this parts done!
Unfortunately I got the other wheel well to do when I’m done with this side!
I’m gonna do this whole left side of the car and get it done, then do the right side!

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The Pro Shop will not put the blood, sweat, and tears into this car like you are doing right now. It's part of the family and your families history. You are adding another chapter to her book. I've always tried to do as much of the work myself because I enjoy learning new techniques and the feeling of accomplishment. Once you master welding then there is body work, paint, interior, assembly, engine, etc. Keep up the great work - before you know it you will be the Pro Shop!

Member

If you are running low on metal,i usually go to my local tin shop for mine,when i get some panels bent up i always ask for some of the scraps they have,they have a stack of pieces to pick from,its usually thrown in with my other stuff. It always works for me.Usually you can do OK on it. Harvey

Playing around with simple ways to form curved pieces to go in the lower wheel tub Area, its gonna be tricky.
It kind of curves in 2 different areas. The main 90* and the wheel arch its self, it kind of fades in to the bottom.
Might just make several small pieces then, weld them together?

Thanks!
My Cheap harbor freight vise, angle iron, and pipe are my metal brake, and forming tools along with ballpeen hammers of different sizes. Don’t have extra Hotrod money for real shop tools right now, plus space is limited. So Im thinking how did they do it back in the 60’s before Eastwood, and Summit, etc.
Plus I’m way better off, I have a mig welder instead of arc welder, and a big huge air compressor, and a bunch a little air tools, and thanks to Amazon, I have a whole bunch a little wire wheels sanding discs etc. for Hella Cheap!

Member

Your right.
After my 16 years in the paint and panel industry there's still nothing that I enjoy more than seeing the average car enthusiast having a go and some of the ingenious ways they problem solve. And quite often I see guys who aren't panel beaters, who aren't painters, who aren't welders etc do a better job because it's their pride and joy and they put all that much extra effort into it.
Cheers,
Josh

Good Eye Mate!
Yeah, it is, I figured all the inner stuff is hidden, plus its hella strong when it gets some bends in it, it also gives me some extra metal for grinding away, too.
I have a small amount of 19g for outer stuff, and if it gets to hard to work like you are saying. We will find out today!

Boy! Getting Harder now!
Its like a puzzle, figuring where all this stuff meets! Just tacked the patch in for mock up, and to see what needs to be trimmed, cut, bent etc. plus I should mount the fender to see if the curve is Ok at the bottom!
Gotz to use my little pea brain! Now.

ALLIANCE MEMBER

Sight down the outer edge of the rocker from the rear axle to the front. See how your quarter patch sticks out too far? Seems you need to push the rear corner inward. See if you can make the flow from the top-down and front-back nice and smooth.

Sight down the outer edge of the rocker from the rear axle to the front. See how your quarter patch sticks out too far? Seems you need to push the rear corner inward. See if you can make the flow from the top-down and front-back nice and smooth.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I need to trim the lower flange, it needs to go in about 1/2, just a trial fit right now, its got 2 tacks holding it.
Here better pics with me holding it

Member

Thanks!
My Cheap harbor freight vise, angle iron, and pipe are my metal brake, and forming tools along with ballpeen hammers of different sizes. Don’t have extra Hotrod money for real shop tools right now, plus space is limited. So Im thinking how did they do it back in the 60’s before Eastwood, and Summit, etc.
Plus I’m way better off, I have a mig welder instead of arc welder, and a big huge air compressor, and a bunch a little air tools, and thanks to Amazon, I have a whole bunch a little wire wheels sanding discs etc. for Hella Cheap!

Click to expand...

I'm always impressed by resourcefulness.

A pal of mine is an INCREDIBLE metalworker and we've joked that he might have 5 tools total in his shop. However, he proves it time and time again that it's his brain/creativity/problem-solving ability and experience.

Well tacked the panel in, used my uncles old 34’ fenders that have a nice convenient paint line for me as a guide!
Looks close enough for me. So Im gonna remove the outer patch and finish the inside welds, then finish the outside.

So....I took the outer patch back off to start welding the inside, I forgot to take pictures yesterday of what I did inside of there. So I thought I would show you guys, for those who care! I had to build something to attach the outer panel to, because all that metal was gone!
It looks a little Frankenstein right now but once I finish welding and grinding all the little seams it will look pretty Good!
Just let me know if I’m taking too many pictures, I just like to share what I’m doing.